Pupils were intrigued to see Mr Boddy's new academic gown and hood at the school’s weekly Celebration Assembly on Friday morning, and told them about the ceremony.

Mr Boddy graduated in Durham Cathedral on Thursday afternoon along with fellow students of the university’s new MSc in Educational Assessment, a course which was devised jointly by Durham University’s School of Education and CEM Centre, and the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors.  The group has been studying part-time since October 2009, while continuing their day jobs in a range of educational settings throughout the region, and completed their final modules last summer.

Reflecting on the experience, Mr Boddy said that he had enjoyed the course enormously, learning a great deal and engaging in thought-provoking research.  “The biggest strengths of the course were the depth of expertise provided by the staff and the range of experience the students brought.  The work I completed is already having an effect on my own practice and on the school as a whole.”